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Plant Food and Prosperity 



Address delivered before the National Farmers' 

Congress in Convention at Piano, III., 

September 25, 191 3 



By HENRY G. BELL 

Agronomist of the Middle West Soil Improvement Committee 
of the National Fertilizer Association 



916-917 Postal Telegraph Building 
CHICAGO 



iiy 'i'ianster 

SEP 20 1916 



:b43 



Plantfood and Prosperity. 



It is the ambition of every citizen to be prosperous. It is the en- 
deavor of each and every coniiiiuuity and state, and tlie nation itsf-lf, to 
show a balance m funds or improvements at tlie end of each year's busi- 
ness. 

This is a rightful and healthy ambition which should command atten- 
tion and close study. 

True progress, either individual or national, is accomplished only, 
when individual or nation rises to a manhood that shows mastery over 
circumstances. 

Carlyle says: "Manhood begins when we have in any way made 
truce with Necessity ; begins, even when we have surrendered to NVees- 
sity. as the most part only do; but begins joyfully and hopefully only 
when we have reconciled ourselves to Necessity; and thus, in reality, tri- 
umphed over It, and felt that in Necessity we are free." 

What sliotdd be our line of action, then, as tillers of these millions 
of acres of farm land? Clearly, it should be to study conditions basic 
to our prosperity and learn as much as possible about them. Reconeile 
ourselves to these conditions that constitute Necessity and thereby tri- 
umph and feel that in Necessity we are free. 

Now, wliat is basic to prosperity? We believe that underneath all 
conti-ibiiting factors, such as business management, good governtiient, 
etc., lies the great and fuiidaiiieiital factor Plantfood su{>ply. 

With a sufhcient supply of the correct elements of plantfood, prof- 
itable cr(){)s can be raised, profitable livestock maintained hikI the whole 
machinery of business accelerated. A scarcity of suitable plantfood 
means that farms degenerate and business lags. 

Economic conditions of this nation force the plantfood problem 
upon us. 

Our po{)ulation in 1900 was approximately 76.000,000 In 1910. it 
was ap[)ro.ximately 92,000,000— an increase of 21%. The iricrea.se in 
crop production, during the same period, was only 10% in voliunt' 

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In 1902, we were exporting 31% of our wheat and wheat flour, but 
in 1912, we were exporting only 13%. 

Our importation of crude foodstuff and crude animals, for the same 
period increased from $120,000,000 to $230,000,000— almost doubling kt 
ten years. Our imports of foodstuffs, partly or wholly manufactured, itt- 
creased from $93,000,000 in 1902 to $196,000,000 in 1912. The number of 
beef cattle, produced in this country, has fallen off 32% in six years, 
while population has grown at the rate of 21%. 

We are approaching the limit of home maintenance. 

These are sufficient reasons for our interest in the Plantfood prob- 
lem. 

How the Ancieyits Looked Upon Plantfood. 

Ancient history tells us that the Egyptians and the Mesopotamians 
were early in acquiring the elements of civilization. The Egyptians, for 
instance, utilized the fertile valley of the Nile for the production of great 
quantities of grain. Early scripture narratives tell us of the dependence 
upon Egypt for provisions during protracted seasons of famine. 

The progress not only of Egypt, but of all the Roman Empire, was 
dependent entirely upon the fertility of the soil. In the very infancy of 
modern civilization, therefore, plantfood was the key to prosperity. 
Babylonians, Egyptians, Israelites and Romans, classed as the great peo- 
ples of antiquity, rose to prominence as they made use of methods of soil 
management which produced large and valuable crops, and feU into 
obscurity as fundamental principles of agriculture were disregarded. 
Pliny, who lived from 23 A. D. to 79 A. D., says of his contemporary, 
Virgil : 

"Our poet is of the opinion that ultimate fallows should be 
made, and that the land should rest entirely every second year. And 
this is, indeed, both true and profitable, provided a man have land 
enough to give the soil this repose. But how, if his extent be not 
sufficient? Let him in that ease help himself thus. Let him sow 
next year's wheat crop on the field where he has just gathered his 
beans, vetches or lupines (legumes as we call them), or such other 
crop as enriches the ground. For indeed it is worth notice that some 
crops are sown for no other purpose but as food for others. ' ' 
These facts show that the rotation of crops is no new practice, nor 
is th(^ gr-owiug of legumes as new as we are often led to believe. 

The Roman writer, Cato, 234 B. C. to 149 B. C, impresses the neces- 
sity of "the soil of a farm being good and fertile, and that the farm be 
nefi I To plenty of laborers ; that it be not far from a large town. More- 
ov< r it s ould have sufficient means of transportation of its produqre, 
eiti T hj I nd or water." He says that "a good husbandman ought t@ 

4 



be a seller rather than a buyer ; that a man should stock his ground early 
and well, but take a long time and leisure before he be a builder. 

All of these points show that at that early date they were impressed 
with the necessity of timely attention to the fertility of the soil. 

The early peoples of Northern Europe, — the Goths, Vandals and 
Mooi-s, practiced livestock farming to a large extent. However, Span- 
iards, who immigrated to Peru, developed agriculture to a high degree 
of perfection. Investigators found ruins of basins and canals showing 
that splendid systems of irrigation had formerly been in operation. Cul- 
tivated sides of the mountains were terraced and the fertility of the soil 
was reinforced by suitable applications of manure. This manure con- 
sisted largely of guano, — the excrement of sea-fowl. 

Soil Tillage, an Early Consideration. 

English writers discussed agriculture as early as 1534. Early in the 
17th Century, writers tell us that farm operations were performed with 
considerably greater care and correctness than formerly. Fallows were 
better worked, weeds were kept out, and much more attention was paid 
to manure of every kind. 

One of the early English authorities on agriculture was Jethro Tull, 
a farmer of Berkshire, England. He published a book in 1731 known as 
"Horse Hoeing Husbandry." In this he expressed the belief that the 
soil particles should be so fined or reduced in size by constant work and 
tillage that the rootlets could take them up. He even thought that inter- 
tillage would take the place of manure. This, of course, is erroneous, 
but the effectiveness of thorough tillage in the preparation of seedbed 
is generally recognized at the present time. 

Boussiagault, Director Hall tells us, inaugurated the first system of 
field experiments. From his experiments, he concluded that the nitrogen 
of the crop was taken from the soil. He also showed that in certain loca- 
tions, more nitrogen is removed in the crop than is supplied in the ma- 
nure. Hellriegel and Wilfarth gave us the first glimpse of the work of 
bacteria on the roots of legumes. 

Early Plantfood Studies. 

One of the greatest contributors to agricultural information was 
Leibig, who in 1840 published his Chemical Letters. By a demonstrative 
experiment, he pointed out the sources of the different elements of plant 
constitution. He indicated from whence these could be supplied. He 
was the first to demonstrate that what we called "Essential Plantfood 
Constituents," — namely. Nitrogen, Phosphoric Acid and Potash, — could 
be supplied profitably to the plant from available fertilizers. In 1843, 
inspired by the epochmaking discoveries of Leibig, Sir John Lawes and 

5 



Sir Joseph H. Gilbert founded at Rotbamsted, England, the world- 
renowned experiment station of Rotbamsted. The work of this experi- 
ment station has been devoted almost entirely to an investigation of the 
eflFeet of available fertilizers upon the yield and (juality of farm crops. 
In 1843, definite rotations of crops were established, and the grounds 
were laid out in systematic series of experiment plots. These plots of 
wheat, oats, barley, hay crops and roots, received systematic applica- 
tions of different (juantities of different mineral plantfood, supplying 
nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash ; also magnesium. In these experi- 
ments no attention was paid to the profitableness with which the mate- 
rials were applied, since the object of the experiments was to demon- 
strate that crops could be improved in yield and (piality by the use of 
fertilizers. Let it here be definitely noted, therefore, that while the 
results of the Rotbamsted Experiment Station prove without a doubt the 
effectiveness of the application of fertilizers, it is in no way fair to figure 
the profitableness with which these fertilizers were applied for three 
reasons. 

(1st) The fertilizers were applied in quantities much larger than 
later investigation in this country would advise on average 
grain crops. 
(2nd) There were used in the fertilizers, materials from sources 
which made them exceedingly costly, — much more so than 
the same elements supplied in modern fertilizers. 
(3rd) Such materials as magnesium sulphate were applied. Amer- 
ican soils are sufficiently rich in magnesium generally so that 
this element can be entirely eliminated. 
Hall says that we owe one essential discovery to DeSaussure, — 
that is, that the nutrient substances must first of all be dissolved or 
capable of going into solution before they can feed the plant. Solu- 
bility, to the mind of this great scientist, is the first essential in valuing 
a fertilizer. He says that the distinguishing feature of a fertilizer which 
makes it effective when supplied in (juantities comparable with those 
removed by the crop, is its availability. 

Conditions to Consider. 

Now, the farmer must face two fundamental facts, to-wit: In 
order to get the best of crops from his land, he must see (1st) that the 
place where the plants have to grow is suitable; (2nd) he must see that 
the supply and nature of plantfood is suited to the needs of the crops. 
In his work, the farmer is continually face to face with two types of 
conditions: (1st) those that he cannot control, and (2nd) those which 
he can control. 

His uncontrollable conditions are : 

(1st) The amo\int of sunshine that his crops receive during the 
growing season. 

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(2nd) Range of temperature. This of course includes how early- 
spring opens and how long is the season between frosts. It 
also includes total heat of the growing season. 

(3rd) The annual rainfall. 

Over these three general conditions, he has no power. However, he 
can control the following conditions : 

(1st) Conservation of the moisture in the soil, 

(2nd) Circidation of air in the soil. 

(3rd) The chemical reaction of the soil — that is, whether the land 
is sweet or sour. 

(4th) The supply of available plantfood in his soil. 

Soil Moisture Important. 

The amount of moisture retained in the soil is very largely 
determined by the care given to the soil. In order to retain a maximum 
amount of moisture, the soil should be deeply stirred in the fall so as to 
catch the rainfall of autumn, winter and spring. In spring the surface 
of the soil should be worked early so as to prevent the evaporation of a 
large amount of the moisture that has been stored up. 

Another great factor in the retention of moisture is the organic 
matter which the farmer incorporates in his soil when he plows under 
clover or some other crop which has been grown specially to get humus 
in the soil. Not only does this vegetable matter make a reservoir for 
the storage of moisture, but applied to loose soils, it binds them together 
so that they have sufficient body to bear crops. Applied to heavy clay 
soils, it loosens up clay soils so that air can permeate them. Now, air 
has essential duties to perform. Inhabiting the soil, which we formerly 
looked upon as dead material, there exists innumerable forms of life, 
knowTi by the general name Bacteria. These minute forms are con- 
stantly working for the farmer, breaking down the unavailable plantfood 
in his soil and bringing it into such form that it can be made use of by 
growing crops. In a soil filled with water, such as an undrained soil, 
this form of life cannot well exist. In a sour soil, bacterial life cannot 
reproduce and grow to best proportion. It is, therefore, necessary on 
a sour soil (which is indicated by sorrel or moss growing on the soil and 
lack of clover) to apply lime or limestone in some form. Director Lip- 
man of New Jersey Experiment Station tells us that the application of 
fertilizers, carrying a large percentage of available phosphoric acid, gives 
great energy to soil bacteria. 

Regarding the last factor under the controllable influences, after 
due attention has been given to the physical conditions of the soil, the 
supply of available plantfood determines the quantity and (juality of 
crop yield, 

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Now, the growing plant consists of 14 elements. One of these it 
gets from the air, two from water, and eleven from the soil. All of these 
elements of plantfood must be dissolved before they can be made use of 
by the plant. Of the eleven elements taken up from the soil, all but 
four, exist now in suflBcient quantities in the soil so that as a matter of 
study their supply may be eliminated. These four elements, which are 
of such supreme importance, are nitrogen, phosphoric acid, potash and 
calcium. Calcium is the base of limestone ; hence can be supplied in that 
form. 

We are not so dependent on natural conditions, then, as we had 
supposed. Good systems of tillage ard general farm management wiU 
do a great deal toward warding off injury from drought and plant star- 
vation. 

European Yields Double Ours. 

How fully has our American farmer realized these facts? Let us 
examine his crop yields. 

Average Yield per Acre 1903-1912. 

Wheat. Oats. Barley. Potatoes. 

United States 14.1 29.6 25.3 94.2 

Germany 30.1 51.9 36.3 194.4 

United Kingdom 31.7 44.3 34.7 202.8 

Why such a discrepancy between the yields obtained in Europe and 
America ? 

Dean Homer C. Price of Ohio University, after two years study of 
the agriculture of Germany presents the following data : 

Increase in Yield in Farm Crops of Germany in Twenty Years. 

Average Yield per Acre, 
Period Period 

1886-1895 1906-1910 Increase in 

Crop. Bushels. Bushels. 20 years. 

Wheat 21.2 31.2 47.8percent 

Rye 16.6 28.3 70.0 per cent" 

Oats 34.1 57.5 68.6 per cent" 

Barley 24.5 37.2 51.8 per cent* 

Potatoes 130.0 210.1 71. 6 per cent 

"Practically the same figures for the United States present a 
very different picture. Our yields are not only in most cases less 
than one-half what they are in Germany, but the percentage of in- 
crease has been very much less, as shown by the following table : 

8 



Increase in Yield in Farm Crops of United States in Eighteen Years. 

Average Yield per Acre. 

Period Period 

1886-1895 1906-1910 Increase in 

Crop. Bushels. Bushels. 18 j-ears. 

Wheat 12.7 14.7 15.7 per cent 

Rye 12.7 16.4 29.2 per cent' 

Oats 25.6 29.0 13.3percenf 

Barley 22.6 24.6 8.8pcrcenf 

Potatoes 73.2 96.9 32.3 per cent "^ 

Dean Price asks the reason for such differences in yield as follows: 
"Wliat has made this rapid increase and why are the yields 
so much greater than in America? 
And here is his answer : 

The Reason. 

"Primarily, it is due to more intensive systems of farming, 
and certainly not to land that is naturally more fertile than in 
America. The German farmer spends much more labor and capital 
in the growing of his crops than the American farmer. His fields 
are prepared so that they look like a garden, and the soil is in fine 
condition before the crops are planted. He is more careful in the 
selection of his seed and his stand of the crop on the ground is 
more perfect. He has also learned how to feed his crops with 
fertilizers. In the first place he scrupulously saves every bit of 
waste on the farm and returns it to the land. Stable manures are 
carefully preserved and then generously supplemented with com- 
mercial fertilizers. The German farmer has learned how to use 
commercial fertilizers, and he knows they are not to be used to 
replace stable manures, but only to supplement them. He has also 
learned the necessity of keeping his land filled with humus to make 
it "crumbly" so that it may be easy to cultivate and will hold rain 
water that falls on it. He does this by growing alfalfa and legumes, 
by plowing green crops under and by the use of stable manure." 
It is interesting to note the difference in yield per acre of staple 
crops between the five Northeastern States of this country, where the 
land has been under crop for a century and a half, and the five Middle 
Western States where a great deal of the land has not been cropped 
more than a quarter of a century. It is especially interesting to compare 
these yields with those of Germany. 

Average Yield per Acre 

FOR 1910-1912, Inclusive 

Wheat. Oats. Potatoes. 

Germany 31.3 51.0 186.3 

5 Northeastern States 23.9 36.6 134.5 

(Me., N. H., Vt., Mass., N. Y.) 

5 Central States 14.5 34.4 79.5 

(111., la., O., Ind., Mo.) 

9 



Again we ask, why this difference? Surely the land of Germany 
and the New England States is no richer originally than that of Illinois 
and Iowa. 

We believe, as Dean Price has pointed out, concerning the superior 
yields obtained in Germany, larger yields obtained in the five North- 
eastern States of this country, as compared with those of the States of 
the Middle West is due to the more intensive methods followed on the 
farms of the East in contrast with the extensive methods which have 
been in vogue on the larger areas of the Middle Western States. 

Intensive Methods. 

Intensive methods, as we have already said, include good drainage, 
maintenance of organic matter in the soil, thorough tillage, application of 
lime where necessary, rotation of crops, use of selected seed, careful 
preservation and wise use of all the barnyard manure obtainable, plow- 
ing under of green crops and the supplementing of the fertility of the 
soil with suitable fertilizers. It is interesting to study the relative 
amounts of fertilizers used in Germany and in America when speaking 
of the relative yields obtained. The official German Crop Returns, issued 
by the Imperial Statistical office, states that in 1912 there was a 38% 
increase in the crop production of Germany over the crop of 1911. In 
fact, the crop of 1912 was the largest crop harvested in 10 years. It 
is interesting to note, in this connection, that in 1900 Germany used a 
little over 3,000,000 tons of fertilizers, while in 1910, she used almost 
6,000,000 tons. In 1912, American farmers used about 6,500,000 tons 
upon the 478,451,750 acres of tillable land in this country. Germany 
used almost the same amount of fertilizers upon her farms as was used 
in America, although the German farm aggregates only 1-15 of the 
area under tillage in America. The judicious use of fertilizers, un- 
doubtedly, is responsible in a very large degree for the superior yields 
of superior quality obtained across the sea. 

It seems to me that the use of fertilizers has been unnecessarily 
complicated for various reasons in this country. First of all, the Ameri- 
can farmer, especially the fanner residing in the Middle and Far West, 
is loath to admit that his fertile looking soil needs fertilizers. 

What Fertilizers Are and Do. 

Frequently the farmer has misconstrued or misunderetood the mis- 
sion of fertilizers. The distinct duty of fertilizers is to supply suitable 
plantfood to the infant plant.- Fed on this suitable plantfood, the little 
plant makes a thrifty, vigorous start in life, reaching out and laying 
hold of unavailable plantfood which is stored in almost unlimited supply 
in the soU. 

10 



There seems to have been a vague superstition instilled in the minds 
of some farmers against the use of fertilizers. Now, plantfood in the 
form of fertilizers is just plantfood. There is no mystery about it. 
If it is good practice to feed the plant with nitrogen, phosphoric acid 
and potash from stable manure, it is also good practice to give it the 
same plantfood from fertilizers. 

Fertilizers are the forms of food which balance up what is lacking 
in our prevailing types of soils and supply plantfood ingredients neces- 
sary to make up a well rounded diet for the enormous crops of corn, 
wheat, potatoes, etc., which we are harvesting annually. 

It is a commonly recognized fact that nitrogen, phosphoric acid and 
potash are the corner stones of soil fertility. The common sense and 
experience of every farmer here, tells him that the waste tissue of animal 
matter is good material to apply to your soil. Moreover, the plantfood 
from phosphate rock, when it has been made available by acidulation, 
supplies the great lacking ingredient of most of our soils, — viz., phos- 
phoric acid. The potash of fertilizer is already water soluble ; hence, in 
shape for immediate absorption by the plant. 

Now, if these ingredients of plantfood could be obtained for nothing, 
there is not a man in this audience but would say that it is good business 
to apply them to his crops. None but a blind man can fail to perceive 
the effects of fertilizers upon tlie yield of crops. Granted this point then, 
it is a commercial proposition as to whether it will pay me to apply fer- 
tilizers on my soil or not. Do fertilizers pay you, I asked farmers of 
Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Missouri, Wisconsin and Illinois? They in- 
variably answer "Yes," and their opinions are backed up by actual 
profitable results. I could give you authentic instances by the scores 
where yields have been greatly and profitably increased, and quality 
has been improved by the judicious use of fertilizers. 

European Evidence. 

The Illinois Experiment Station, addressed inquiries to prominent 
European Agricultural autliorities, asking them as to the effect of fer- 
tilizers upon the crop yields of their countries. The following four 
letters, are replies received. 

Pi-om "Von Seelhorst," Royal Agricultural Experiment Station, 
Gottingen, Germany : 

"I believe that the principal increase of the harvest is to be attri- 
buted in part to the application of artificial fertilizers themselves and 
in part to their combination with green manures. Through the applica- 
tion of the two, the yield upon the average has been doubled on our 
common light soils. In some cases the yield has even been increased two 
and one-half to three /old. 

In general I assume that of the 100% increase in the yield can be 
attributed : | 

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To artificial fertilizers 50% 

Effect of artificial fertilizers increased by better tillage. . .25%" 
From the Minister of Agriculture, Paris, France : 
"As near as can be determined the relative importance of the dif- 
ferent factors are as follows: 

In Intensive Agriculture — Increased use of farm 

manure and commercial fertilizers 50% at least 

Better preparation of land 30% 

Selection of seed 15 to 20% 

In Extensive Agriculture — Effect of fertilizer. .. .70% 

Effect of preparation of land 15 to 20% 

Effect of selection of seed 5 to 10% " 

From President Creelman, Ontario Agricultural College : 

"Italy has been practicing the art of agriculture since the early 
days of old civilization, hundreds of years before the Christian Era be- 
gan, and agriculture is still the most important industry in Italy, as 
85% of the soil is productive. 

"In this connection, the published statistics showing the amount 
of commercial plantfood materials used in Italy are significant. With 
a total area of less than 115,000 square miles (about twice the area of 
Illinois), Italy used 1,147,700 tons of commercial fertilizers in 1907." 

From A. D. Hall, Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, 
England : 

"The great factor has been the introduction of fertilizers and pur- 
chased feeding stuffs. As soon as you can introduce on a farm some ex- 
traneous source of fertility you can raise the standard of production." 

Interesting Tenancy Law. 

The day has long passed when the British farmer inquired as to 
whether it paid to use fertilizers or not. Indeed, so far has this day 
passed that in the Tenancy Act of 1908, there appeared the following 
clauses : 

" (1) Where a tenant of a holding has made thereon any improve- 
ment comprised in the First Schedule to this Act he shaU, 
subject as in this Act mentioned, be entitled, at the termina- 
tion of a tenancy on quitting his holding to obtain from the 
landlord as compensation under this Act for the improve- 
ment such sum as fairly represents the value of the improve- 
ment to an incoming tenant. 

"(2) In the ascertainment of the amount of the compensation 
payable to a tenant under this section, there shall be taken 
into account — 

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(a) any benefit which the landlord has given or allowed 
to the tenant executing the improvement; and 

(b) as respects manuring as defined by this Act, the 
value of the manure required by the contract of 
tenancy or by custom to be returned to tlie holding 
in respect of any crops sold off or removed from 
the holding within the last two years of the ten- 
ancy or other less time for which the tenancy has 
endured, not exceeding the value of the manure, 
which would have been the holding of the crops so 
sold off or removed." 

(Manuring in sub-section "B" is defined as applying to stock ma- 
nure, purchase and application of commercial fertilizers, liming of the 
soil, growing of legumes, and other practices made use of in English 
agriculture but not common in America.) 

Now, if the judicious use of fertilizers is of such importance, that 
the British government compels its landlords to compensate their ten- 
ants for the application of fertilizers to their soil, it goes without 
saying that the British farmer long ago concluded that fertilizers have 
a logical place in an economic system of farm management. 

So enthusiastic are the German farmers, indeed, that one of their 
noted authorities. Prof. Wohltmann, says that he is confident that Ger- 
man farmers can increase their yields by 40% within the next twenty 
years. 

What Experiment Stations Say About the Permanent Effect of Fer- 
tilizers. 

We are not forced to cross the Atlantic to find convincing proof 
of the effect of available plantfood. 

In 1912, we addressed a letter of inquiry to a number of Experi- 
ment Station Directors and State Commissioners of Agriculture in the 
Eastern and Southern States. We asked the following questions among 
others : 

(1) How much have tlie farms in your State increased in value in 

the last ten years? 

(2) How much have the farms in your State increased in produc- 

tiveness in the last ten years? 

(3) How much of this increase is due to A, B, or C, or any com- 

bination ? 
Reasons : 

A — Better Farm Management. 

B — Use of Selected Seed. 

C — Judicious Use of Fertilizers. 
13 



tion 



(4) Do you believe that the judicious use of fertilizers has bene- 

fitted, left neutral or injured your farms? 

(5) How many abandoned farms are there in your State? 

The answers which we received contained the following informa- 



Replies from Directors. 



State. Value. 

North Carolina 100% 

South Carolina 200% 

Alabama 100% 

Maryland 20% 

New 'Sork 

New Jersey 88% 

Connecticut 50% 

Massachusetta 32% 

Rhode Island 



■ase. 
'roductiveness. 


Due to. 


Abandoned 
Farms. 


50% 
100% 


ABC 
AC 













10% 
30% 
20% 
20% 
10 to 15% 


ABC 

ABC 

ABC 

ABC 

AC 

ABC 



Replies from Commissioners. 

Increase in 10 Years. 

Abandoned 
State. Value. Productiveness. Due to. Farms. 

^''^''^i'l 10th to 4th ABC 

Pennsylvania 15% AC 

Alabama 25-1 00% .50% ABC 

Tennessee 30- .50% 25% ABC 

New .Jersey 33% 2.50% 75% AC 

Massachusetts 32% Benefit 

North Carolina 30% ABC Very few. 

New York 2i'.% 20% ABC 

Vermont 10% 10% AC 

Abandoned Farm Farce. 

Incidentally, we en(|uired as to the number of abandoned farms in 
each state. As the answers to the above (piestions show these farms 
were nut abandoned in the sense of the bugaboo which has been held up 
so geiiei-Hlly before the agricultural public witliin the last few years. 
By tuodern agriculture, which inc-ludes the judi(;ious \ise of fertilizers, 
many of these farms are benig brought into a productiveness that they 
never knew before. 

When I WHS head of the Agronomy Department, University of 
Maine, 1 lUHnaged one of these riuj down farrus. It had been raising 
hay 40 yejits without a s[)()()nful of plantfood being put back in any 
form. It cut less tiian % ton per acre, tlie last year it was in hay. By 
applyid'; modern methods to it, I brought its yield in two years up to 
60 biislicl.s of oats [)er acre; 2^ tons of hay per acre; 150 bushels of 
potatoes per acre; 8 tons of ensilage corn per acre. 

14 



These modern methods included the judicious use of fertilizers. 
It is time this gliost of abandoned farms was permanently shelved. 

More Intensive Farming Needed. 

Now, gentlemen, the point of my somewhat lengthy remarks is, 
in my opinion the farming of this country must be more intensive 
and less extensive if the farming industry is to maintain itself on a busi- 
ness basis. Indeed, if the young men now growing up upon our farms 
are to be held thereon, or better said, if they are to be interested therein, 
when they come to years of discivtion, they must see that tlie farming 
business returns as good an interest on tlie money invested tlieieiii as 
the average business in town or city. Understand me, 1 do not believe 
that the dollar and cent argument should be the only argument applied 
to the retention of our farmers upon their land. But this is an audience 
of farmer-business men interested in the dollars and cents view of the 
proposition. 

You ask, "How am I to convince myself as to the profitableness of 
adopting modern methods upon my farm?" You ai'e already convinced 
of the necessity of good drainage, maintenance of organic matter, appli- 
cation of barn manure, turning under of green manures, good tillage, 
application of lime when necessary and the use of selected seed. The 
plantfood problem is probably the one on which you desire light. In the 
literature of the prominent experiment stations of this country is found 
an abundance of reports of investigations which have been made relative 
to the application of fertilizers of different kinds on varied soils to 
various crops. In every ease, where the fertilizers have been suited to 
balance the deficiencies of the soil, and to meet the peculiar neeiis of the 
crops, they have been applied at a profit. 

The use of fertilizers is no new experiment. We have records of the 
successful and profitable addition of plantfood in fertilizers reaching 
back almost 100 years. 

If German and British agriculture has developed to a state of ex- 
cellence and superiority, which no student of agi'iculture will gainsay, 
by a system of soil manjigement which includes the judicious use of 
fertilizers, is it not a loss of time and opportunity for good f;irmers 
to talk about experimenting with an acre or two? You arv losing the 
added yields and supi'rior (|uality that Germany and Great Britain, 
and many parts of this country have demonstrated possible and profit- 
able, if you do not adopt modern methods of crop production. 

In conclusion, gentleriuMi, let me summarize my statement by saying 
that the best physical condition must be supplemented by the best chem- 
ical conditions in the soil in order that the plant may make the most rapid 
growth and that it may bear fruit in the greatest quantity and of best 
quality. By quoting foreign farm yields in comparison witli our own, I 
do wish to say that it is not my opinion that all of the conditions pre- 

15 



vailing in Europe could be transplanted in toto to America. I do believe, 
however, that we can study German and British methods of agriculture 
which have given such excellent results, and can apply much of their 
agricultural knowledge and practices to great profit in this country. 
This is a time above all times when the great audience of American 
farmers should be open minded, ready to learn from their fellows; not 
necessarily neighbors on adjoining farms, or counties, or States, but they 
should be ready and willing to learn from their fellow farmers in what- 
ever part of the world they are located. 

Let us keep our eyes, ears and minds wide open for suggestions. 
We have learned the art of acquiring large areas of land. We know 
how to operate these large areas in an extensive manner. Now, let us learn 
how to make each valuable acre yield twice what it produces at present, 
and that of better quality. That which was in the beginning, is now, and 
shall be as long as the products of agriculture maintain man. Plantfood 
is the foundation of prosperity. 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




oooavsssbis 



